Maps of Music
Ricky Martin (1999)
Where the lyrics of Ricky Martin take you, and where it was really made.
Martin's English debut was released two weeks ahead of schedule because demand was so high, and within three months it became the best-selling album ever by a Latin artist.
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Overview
- Ricky Martin: first English-language album and fifth studio album by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin
- Released 11 May 1999 by Columbia Records
- Produced by KC Porter, Robi Rosa and Desmond Child
- Primarily English, 14 songs: dance-pop tracks, power ballads, mid-tempo pop songs and rock numbers
- Four singles: "Livin' la Vida Loca", "She's All I Ever Had", "Shake Your Bon-Bon", "Private Emotion"
Background
- Followed four Spanish-language albums and the fourth studio album Vuelve (1998)
- Vuelve spent 26 weeks atop the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart
- CNN confirmed on 22 October 1998 that Martin had started work on his first English-language album
- Title announced as the eponymous Ricky Martin in April 1999
- Release was moved up two weeks, from 25 May to 11 May, due to strong interest
- Worldwide Livin' la Vida Loca Tour followed the release; the highest-grossing 2000 tour by a Latin artist
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Tracklist
| 1 | Livin' la Vida Loca | 4:03 |
| 2 | Spanish Eyes | 4:05 |
| 3 | She's All I Ever Had | 4:55 |
| 4 | Shake Your Bon-Bon | 3:12 |
| 5 | Be Careful (Cuidado con mi corazón) | 4:05 |
| 6 | Love You for a Day | 3:47 |
| 7 | Private Emotion | 4:03 |
| 8 | I'm on My Way | 4:37 |
| 9 | I Am Made of You | 4:39 |
| 10 | La diosa del carnaval (Spanish Eyes) | 4:04 |
| 11 | You Stay With Me | 4:13 |
| 12 | Livin' la Vida Loca (Spanish version) | 4:05 |
| 13 | Bella (She's All I Ever Had) | 4:56 |
| 14 | I Count the Minutes | 4:19 |
| 15 | Por arriba, por abajo (remix) | 4:18 |
Sources: musicbrainz.org
Artist
Formation
- Enrique Martín Morales, born December 24, 1971 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Began singing at age six; appeared in television commercials from age nine.
- Joined the boy band Menudo in 1984 at age 12, leaving in July 1989.
- Began his solo career in 1991 with Sony Music, releasing the album Ricky Martin.
Members
- Solo artist; no group members.
Career
- A Medio Vivir (1995) brought the hit "María" and his first international success.
- Vuelve (1998) earned his first Grammy Award and the FIFA World Cup anthem "La Copa de la Vida".
- The English album Ricky Martin (1999) debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200; "Livin' la Vida Loca" topped the Billboard Hot 100.
- Often credited with launching the late-1990s Latin pop boom in the US mainstream.
- Has sold over 70 million records worldwide.
- Acted in General Hospital and as Ché in the Broadway revival of Evita.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Ricky Martin received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its various genres and styles
- The News Journal critic Jena Montgomery praised the album for alternating between infectious tunes and somber, seductive ballads
- The Times staff described the project as "cheesy, breezy, mass-appeal pop"
- In a retrospective review for Billboard, Leila Cobo ranked "Livin' la Vida Loca" as the best track on the album
- Cobo named "Private Emotion" the under-appreciated jewel of the album
Reappraisal
- In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four out of five stars
- Erlewine said that despite moments of filler and outdated production, its songs are balanced well between various genres and styles
- Rolling Stone's James Hunter felt it lacks the excitement of Vuelve because of its remixes and Warren-penned songs
- Paste ranked the album as one of the "10 Best Solo Albums by Former Boy Band Members" in 2020
Records
- Debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 661,000 copies
- Largest sales week by any album in 1999
- Martin became the first male Latin act to debut at number one on the Billboard 200
- Certified 7× platinum in the United States and diamond in Canada
- Nominated for Best Pop Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards
- Best-selling album ever by a Latin artist within three months of release
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- The album was still untitled when American musician Diane Warren revealed that she contributed two songs to it
- Martin dedicated the track "She's All I Ever Had" to his grandmother, who died a year earlier
- According to The Wall Street Journal, Martin succeeded Leonardo DiCaprio as the most popular male celebrity on the American shopping website eBay in 1999, following the album's release
- The European edition includes the Spanish version of "Spanish Eyes", titled "La Diosa Del Carnaval", and a new track, "I'm On My Way"
- The Spanish release adds "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" from Vuelve as a hidden track
Sources: en.wikipedia.org